“A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” Luke 8:5-9;11-15
Today’s Christian daily devotional
“I used to go to church every Sunday.” Morgan tapped the ash of her cigarette out of her Lexus’ window.
“My mom couldn’t afford a babysitter for me and my brother. That was her time to be off the hook for a while.” Her eyes dimmed as she recalled the past.
“I didn’t learn a thing…obviously.” A cocky smile crept up the sides of her face.
Morgan was stellar at acting like she had the winning hand. But we both worked in the strip club together for quite a while. I was aware of her game face.
When reading Luke 8:5-9;11-15 this conversation that happened years ago pops up in my head as if it were spoken just yesterday.
I grew up in the church; I even prayed to God and loved Him strongly as a child. But, over time the hypocrisy of the ‘godly men in the church’ more than disheartened me. It broke me.
After I allowed the spirit of bitterness to settle inside my heart, the lures of this world seemed much more appealing than the elusive promises of God.
I had grown impatient in waiting for my prayers to be answered. I wanted to be happy—TODAY. Right now. And, if I couldn’t be as beautiful and carefree as the gal in the Gucci campaign, then at least I could carry the purse she was selling.
So, against all that I knew in my heart was right and good, I sold out for something that felt tangible. I started working as an exotic dancer. For the first time I was finally able to afford those trinkets I adored so much. But, they were only a mirage.
The more I fashioned myself around men’s fantasies, the more money I earned. The sad thing was, the more I catered to the needs of these strangers, the less I saw myself as worthy of being anything more than a human mirage. I had trouble even recognizing myself; the real me started to fade away. Over time, I became someone…very different.
Of course I got that Gucci purse; I even wore the cutest shoes. But, in that ‘getting’ process, I lost so much more. I had no joy. I forgot what peace felt like. And the price that it took to keep me in that volatile not-so-miserable state was costing me more and more everyday.
I challenge you to read Luke 8 again. It says that many people will hear the word of God and some will profess to believe and even change for a while. But sadly, when the hardships of life challenge that commitment, many buckle and go back to unbelief.
God has given every human being not only a chance for salvation, but as Luke 8 clearly points out, He has also given us the free will to change our minds.
How bad do you want the promises that only salvation through Jesus can bring?
Well, it looks like you might have to dig in your heels for what you want. And, even if those shoes don’t happen to be the latest Christian Louboutins, is anything this world has to offer really worth selling your soul for?
God showed you how valuable you are to Him. He sent His Son to die just for you.
Even if following Jesus isn’t the most popular thing to do, from my experience, He’s totally worth it. And, if you really think so too, I challenge you to prove it; your actions for Him will speak louder than your words.
“Dear Heavenly Father,
There are so many lures in this life that have gotten me off the path I started out on.
Being a rebel seems to be the most popular way to go. But, from everything I have seen, it is never the path to success. It is the path that eventually leads to hardships, heartache and sorrow.
Satan has so cleverly wrapped up the spirit of rebellion as glamorous and edgy. Well, that is a lie from the pit of hell. It was sent out to destroy humanity and I have witnessed it’s destruction first hand.
Lord, I am no longer buying the lie that following God isn’t cool enough for me.
If all my friends think I’m a fool, then so be it. Nothing anyone else says is worth spending an eternity in the lake of fire.
God, help me. Help me to stick with my commitment. I have recanted promises to you countless times in the past. Yet, here I am today, because of your mercy! I am supplied with another day and another chance to turn back.
After reading Luke 8, I know I must choose daily who my God is. Today, you are. Lord, I pray over tomorrow and every day until you take me home that I never turn back from my promise to follow you. In Jesus’ name, thank you for your mercy and patience, Amen.”
Thank you for reading today’s Christian daily devotional on verses: Luke 8:5-9;11-15
Please check back and see what we have for you tomorrow!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan